Variety exclusive on Frank’s four upcoming projects

Variety exclusive on Frank’s four upcoming projects

Variety got the exclusive on Automatic Studio and Frank Beddor’s latest projects currently in the pipeline. Hatter Madigan being developed as an animated children’s show? The Looking Glass Wars going to Broadway? Eric Laster’s ‪#‎Static‬ web series being developed with Con Man producer PJ Haarsma?

Beddor, who authored “The Looking Glass Wars” series, has signed a distribution deal with Publishers Group West. He has several writers, composers and producers attached for the spinoff projects.

The projects include “Hatter Madigan,” which is being developed as an animated children’s show with former Marvel Head of Animation Eric Rollman; “The Looking Glass Wars,” which is in the works as a Broadway musical with composer Ryan Oliver Scott and playwright-TV writer Jon Caren; Eric Laster’s murder mystery “Static” is being developed with “Con Man” producer PJ Haarsma for digital; and “Spectrum,” the fictional TV show at the center of the “Con Man” series, will get its own TV show.

Beddor, who had been a high-level freestyle skier, broke into the business by producing the 1998 thriller “Wicked,” the first major role for Julia Stiles. He followed that with the comedy “There’s Something About Mary,” which grossed $360 million worldwide and starred Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz.

Beddor then wrote “The Looking Glass Wars” book trilogy, first published in 2004. He’s launching a prequel, “Hatter Madigan: Ghost in the Hatbox,” which he co-wrote with Adrienne Kress, in which a 13-year-old Hatter Madigan enters the first year of training at the Wonderland Millinery Academy.

Automatic will release three book titles on April 19 — “Hatter Madigan,” “Static” and “Looking Glass Wars: Crossfire.” “Spectrum” is launching on Free Comic Book Day (the first Saturday in May) and is part one of a four-part series tied to the Web series “Con Man.”

2016 is shaping to be a very busy year for Frank and collaborators Adrienne Kress, Curtis Clark, and #Static author Eric Laster. Keep an eye out for Frank and Eric’s tour schedule starting in April. Go here to check out all the upcoming Automatic Publishing books, and don’t forget pre-order your copies today.